We Found Love In a Hopeless Place
by BroadwayObsessions
Summary: Enjolras, Éponine, Courfeyrac, Grantaire, Combeferre, Bahorel, Feuilly and Jehan spend their Valentine's Day at a karaoke bar. They decide that Enjolras and Éponine should sing a love song. After they perform it so believable, everyone thinks they're a real couple. The two say they are just friends, but will it be so forever?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: Hey, dearies! Thank you for clicking on my story. That's my first fanfiction, so please don't be so mean if it's not the best. But you can tell me what I can improve on it. I don't want you to be disappointed. Anyway, enjoy the first chapter!**

 **P** **.S.: My native language isn't English, so please excuse me for some mistakes.**

February 14th: Valentine's Day; also known as the memorial day of all singles. "It's time again", Éponine thought on the way to school. Everywhere on the street, she met couples, and people holding gifts like flowers, chocolates, heart-shaped balloons, or cheesy stuffed animals. And it will probably be the same at school.

When the girl arrived at the schoolyard, she saw some of her friends. Courfeyrac, who was waiting at the entrance, immediately ran towards her and kissed her hand. "Have a good day, Mademoiselle Éponine!"

Shortly afterwards, Grantaire came and shouted with his fist raised in the air: "And another shitty Valentine's Day!"

"R, are you drunk again?" Asked Éponine alarmed.

"No, dearie! We only get drunk in the evening." He responded, grinning, after pressing two wet kisses on her cheeks.

Courfeyrac rolled his eyes and looked for the rest of the group, while Grantaire was talking to Éponine. "Eppy, I thought about tonight."

"Tell me!"

"Yesterday I found a karaoke bar -"

"You know I hate to sing in public!", interrupted Éponine.

"Pleeeaaase!" Grantaire again made his puppy eyes, which he mastered so well that one could not help but surrender.

Éponine sighed. "Well, where is this bar?"

"Karaoke bar." Grantaire corrected her.

"Anyway, where is it?"

"Um, a little further away ..."

"How far?"

"Half an hour's walk from here?"

"I'll tell you right away, I don't intend to walk half an hour in the evening!"

"I can organize a chauffeur!" Grantaire tried to save him.

Éponine raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Enjolras has a driving license."

"Do you really think he's driving us?"

"If I beg enough, I think yes."

Éponine shook her head in amusement and ruffled her best friend's black curls. As if on cue, Enjolras appeared and patted Grantaire on his back. "How are you, Enjy?" The boy asked.

"Normal, you?" The blonde replied.

"What do you think? It's Valentine's Day after all ... "

"Jehan will be happy," commented Éponine.

Enjolras laughed briefly. "And here he is!"

Grantaire and Éponine turned around and saw Jehan, smiling over both ears. "A lovely Valentine's Day to you all, my dear ones!" He exclaimed as he hugged them all.

"You too!"

Somehow, Jehan's cheerfulness always raised the mood in the group. "Where are the others?" He asked.

Grantaire shrugged his shoulders. "Let's go inside."

After two dead dull school hours, there was a break. The students streamed massively into the cafeteria, which was just large enough to accommodate nearly two thousand people. When Les Amis were sitting at a table, Courfeyrac suddenly called, "Who is single on this table!"

Éponine, Grantaire, Enjolras, Feuilly, Bahorel, Courfeyrac, Jehan and Combeferre.

"Okay, guys. I thought about the following: tonight at about 8 pm we will meet at this karaoke bar and then we will have a nice evening. I'll send you the address later, "Grantaire explained.

"Who is 'we'?" Asked Bahorel.

"Does anyone have a driving license?" Courfeyrac asked, ignoring Bahorel's question.

Enjolras answered. "I have one."

"Do you have time tonight?"

"Yes."

"Could you drive us?" Éponine asked shyly.

"Whom?"

"Those who live too far away."

"And how many would that be?"

"Courfeyrac, Grantaire, and I."

Enjolras thought for a moment, then nodded. "As long as there are only three people, I can."

"Thank you, Apollo!" Exclaimed Courfeyrac exaggeratedly, throwing his arms around Enjolras dramatically.

Now Marius and Cosette came to it. "Hello!" Cosette said smiling.

"What are you doing today?" Marius asked.

After no one announced his plans, the couple told the others about their Valentine's Day. "... And then we make a romantic picnic in the park. That will be so beautiful! ", The pretty blonde cried excitedly.

Éponine did not really listen. Ultimately she did not want to know what the boy she was in love with until recently was going to do with his girlfriend on Valentine's Day.

 **I'm sorry that there isn't much Enjonine yet, but it takes some time and there will be more of it in the next chapters. Review if you liked it, or if you have something you need to say about it.** **And sorry if there are some mistakes.**

 **~ M**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thank you for your nice reviews! Sorry for the delay but I wrote three tests this week. And you probably know how hard it is to translate everything in another language**.

Immediately after school Éponine went home with Musichetta. In their shared flat, Éponine dropped onto her bed. "Eppy, if you go out tonight, you should dress up!" Musichetta said while inspecting Éponine's closet.

"We only go to a karaoke bar."

"Still" Musichetta protested. "You'll stand in front of a small audience and you want to make a good impression!"

Éponine, meanwhile, dressed in her unicorn slippers. "Seriously?" She heard her roommate cry.

"What?"

"You don't own chic clothes?"

"Well, I'm not the type that often dresses up nicely..."

"A little black dress is a must!" Musichetta pulled Éponine to her wardrobe.

"Here, take an example!", she exclaimed.

Musichetta's clothes in the wardrobe were sorted by color, shirts, pullovers, jeans, skirts, dresses and so on. On the other hand, in Éponine's wardrobe, the clothes were wildly mixed up, where there was space.

"For today, you can borrow something from me." Musichetta pulled a white blouse and dark shorts out of the closet. "How about that?"

"You know it's February?" Éponine said irritated.

After a few minutes Éponine came back wearing the clothes Musichetta borrowed her. "Perfect! Now you just need matching shoes!"

Musichetta searched through her shoe collection and gave Éponine a pair of black platform high heels. "They're too high! I can't walk on these!" Éponine exclaimed.

"You'll learn it."

Éponine sat down on her bed and tried the shoes on. Her roommate helped her get up. "So?"

"I think it's okay."

She walked through the room to test the high heels until she was used to the height. Musichetta looked at Éponine's outfit and muttered, "Something's missing..."

Then she got nail polish in red and began to paint her friend's fingernails. "You have to let it dry for a few minutes." She said when she finished. "Now I'll do your hair and then we'll put some make up on!"

"Must that really be?" Éponine asked a little annoyed.

"Well, Bossuet and Joly don't care when I'm unadorned" Musichetta answered. "But with you it's something else. I know what normal boys want."

Éponine laughed. "So Joly and Bossuet are not normal?"

"Do you really think they're normal?"

After one hour Éponine was finished with her routine. "Tomorrow we have to go shopping for you." Musichetta looked at her watch. "What? It's already 3 pm! Sorry Ep, I must go. Have fun tonight! Ciao!" Musichetta said before she went to her date with Joly and Bossuet.

"Bye!"

Éponine took her cell phone out of her pocket to text Grantaire. "Musichetta played stylist and gave me a new appearance."

After a few seconds Grantaire wrote her back. "Send me a photo!"

"Sorry, but that's a surprise!"

After that came nothing first. Instead, surprisingly, a message from Enjolras came: "Shall I pick you up at your home?"

"If you can."

"Where do you live?"

"Apartment 47 in the student hostel"

"Okay, I'll pick you up at half past eight."

In the meantime Éponine practised walking in the high heels. When she could walk on it, she continued reading in her book, which she got from Courfeyrac for her birthday. Suddenly the doorbell rang. Before she opened the door she briefly looked into the mirror. Enjolras was standing at the door. "Hey, is Éponine..." His voice drifted off as he looked at her more closely.

"She's standing right in front of you!" Éponine chuckled.

It was no wonder he didn't recognize her at first sight. Considering that she was wearing a gray hoodie and destroyed jeans in combination with black boots the same morning, she had undergone a major change. Now she was wearing a white, semi-transparent lace blouse, very dark blue, almost black high-waist shorts, black tights and black platform high heels. To this she wore lipgloss in rose, matching eyeshadow, black mascara and red nail polish. Her chocolate-brown hair fell slightly curled over her shoulders.

"I didn't recognize you at all!" Enjolras stammered.

"Musichetta gave me a new look."

Enjolras nodded.

"Don't you like it?" She asked worried.

"Yes, I do!" Enjolras protested. "You look beautiful." He then added.

"Thank you." Éponine looked down to hide her blushing cheeks. "Come in!"

Enjolras sat down on the couch. "Coffee?" Éponine asked.

"If it doesn't make any circumstances."

"Not at all!"

"Then I'd like one."

"Black?"

"Yes."

While Éponine made the coffee for Enjolras and a cappuccino for herself, she asked, "How did you come here so fast? It's not even quarter past eight."

"Rather early than too late. I hope I didn't bother you."

"Never."

"I live in apartment 46 and therefore the way wasn't so far."

"I didn't know you live here, too." Éponine commented as she served up his coffee.

"Then you know it now." Enjolras answered, sipping on his coffee.

"Do you know where exactly this karaoke bar is?"

Enjolras shook his head. "No. I hope Grantaire or my navigation device knows."

"Will you sing, too?" Éponine teased.

"Believe me, no one wants to hear me sing."

"Why?"

"I can't sing and my singing voice is catastrophic."

"Okay, now you're exaggerating!"

"It's just the truth."

"I only believe it if I have convinced myself."

"Do you want me to sing now?"

Éponine shrugged. "Why not? There's no one here but us. Musichetta is on a date and we are alone."

"Sooner or later you'll hear me sing. But I have to warn you in time that you can still buy earplugs." He grinned.

Éponine nudged him in the arm. "It can't be so bad!"

After they drank up their cups, Éponine asked, "Is it cold outside?"

"A little bit. You should take a jacket with you."

"This one?" Éponine showed Enjolras a knee-lenght red coat. Enjolras nodded approvingly.

"It also matches your nails."

Éponine put on the coat and went out with Enjolras. It was quite cold. "In my car, it's warmer." Enjolras said, looking for his keys in the jacket pocket.

Éponine tried to guess his car on the parking spot of the student residence. "The black Mercedes?"

"No."

"The yellow Lamborghini?"

"No."

"Hm..."

Enjolras walked over to a red Ferrari. "This prime specimen here."

"Really? The Magnum-car?" Éponine asked surprised. She has never seen such a car live. Only on TV and in magazines.

Enjolras laughed at her facial expression and whipped out his car key. "Hop in!"

Éponine carefully got in. "I don't want to break something!" Éponine exclaimed anxious.

"I'm more worried that R and Courf scrap my car."

"Oh, yes!" Éponine laughed.

Before Enjolras drove off, he turned on the radio. "You can hear what you want. But please no classical music!"

"Okay ... Coldplay? One Republic?"

"What you want."

Éponine searched through all the songs that Enjolras' Autoradio had to offer. "You like musicals?" She asked surprised as she came across a Wicked Playlist.

"It depends on which."

"Wicked?"

Enjolras shrugged. Éponine then played "Defying Gravity". After a while she noticed that she was singing softly and stopped immediately. Enjolras looked at her. "Sorry," muttered Éponine.

"No, that sounds good."

Éponine thought she had heard wrongly: already the second compliment of the marble man today!

"Thank you, but I save my voice for later."

 **Reviews? *making puppy eyes***


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Hey again! Thank you so much for reading my story! I love you all! Let's see how it goes on with our friends.**

"Whose idea was it with the karaoke bar?" Enjolras asked.

"You have three guesses!"

"Grantaire?"

"Of course."

"I wonder if he has proposed it because of the singing or because he can then drink to the point of departure."

"I think rather the latter."

Soon they arrived at Grantaire's flat. Enjolras got out of the car to ring the front door. A wide grinning Courfeyrac opened the door. Behind him stood Grantaire with an empty whiskey bottle. "Have you already picked up Ep?"

"She's already sitting in the car."

"Can I sit in the front?" Courfeyrac asked, who was happy like a toddler, while running outside.

"Already occupied," answered Enjolras, though he wasn't heard by his friend.

Grantaire followed Courfeyrac and Enjolras to the car. "WTF?! A Combe-Ferrari!" Grantaire screamed.

Meanwhile, Courfeyrac stared at Éponine on the passenger seat. "I wanted to sit in the front!" He growled.

"First come first serve, darling!" Éponine replied, smiling sweetly.

Courfeyrac and Grantaire planted themselves on the back seat. "If you break something, you're dead." Enjolras said parenthetically while driving.

Grantaire gulped. He believed his friend's word. "Let's listen to something from Disney!" Courfeyrac exclaimed.

Éponine also found a Disney playlist. "Created for the two," explained Enjolras before Éponine could ask.

At the back the two sang at the top of their lungs. " _Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious; even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious."_ Courfeyrac warbled very off-key.

" _If you say it loud enough, you'll always sound precocious,_ " croaked Grantaire.

" _Supercalifragilisticexpialidoucious_!"

"That's going to be a long ride," commented Enjolras.

"Indeed ..." Éponine agreed.

When they arrived at "A Whole New World" from Aladdin, Courfeyrac tried to force Éponine and Enjolras into singing together. "C'mon! We have been singing for 20 minutes. Now it's your turn!"

"Did we tell you to sing all the time, or how this is called?" Éponine said.

"Is _that_ even called 'singing'?" She whispered to Enjolras.

The boy shook his head. "Besides, I can't sing." He added.

"We'll see. Do it!"

"Listen, we'll make a compromise. We choose a song that's sung by several persons and we'll all join in," suggested Éponine.

"Okay, _Hakuna Matata!_ "

"I can't hear it anymore!" Enjolras moaned.

" _Be our guest! Be our guest! Put our service to the test ..."_ Courfeyrac began to sing.

"Let's hear something from Éponine!" Enjolras interrupted him. "She can sing."

"Er, no ... I cannot sing."

"That's what they all say!" Grantaire said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"'Part of Your World' from The Little Mermaid or 'Let It Go' from Frozen?" Courfeyrac asked.

"Frozen!" Grantaire cried, clapping.

Éponine looked at Enjolras, searching for help. "You can really sing." He whispered.

"Very well."

Cheering filled the car. "But I only sing along!"

Éponine took another breath and began. " _The snow glows white on the mountain tonight; not a footprint to be seen ..."_

Just before the refrain, everyone listened intently to how she would master it. " _Don't let them in, don't let them see. Be the good girl you always have to be. Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know. Well, now they know."_ She sang already safer and louder. " _Let it go, let it go. Can't hold it back anymore. Let it go, let it go. Turn away and slam the door. I don't care what they're going to say. Let the storm rage on. The cold never bothered me anyway."_

At the end of the song everyone applauded, except for Enjolras, who still had to drive and had both hands at the steering wheel. Instead, he smiled and said, "It was not even so bad!"

After a few minutes they arrived at the karaoke bar. Enjolras had entered the address he received from Grantaire in his navigation device. "Let's go," said Courfeyrac.

 **Review?**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Hey, guys! How are you? Thank you all for your support**!

Inside the bar, some of their friends were already waiting. Bahorel and Feuilly sat together at a table and drank beer. Combeferre stood up from the bar and walked over to the four friends. "Hi, where's Jehan?" Enjolras asked.

"I work here," answered Jehan.

"Really?" Éponine knew very well that he could then influence the song selection. "Do you select the songs we have to sing?"

Jehan only grinned and said, "Who knows?"

Grantaire immediately set out for the counter. "Hey, a short one!"

Courfeyrac sat down beside Combeferre at the table. Enjolras and Éponine followed Grantaire to the counter to stop him before he boozed himself to death. Jehan went to the stage with a microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, good evening and welcome to our Valentine's Day special!" He greeted happily. "Tonight, only lovesongs are sung. Let's get started! "

There were relatively few guests present. Basically only the singles under the Les Amis were there. The spotlight swayed through the room and stopped at Combeferre. When he went onto the stage, he murmured, "You did that deliberately, Prouvaire!"

He took the microphone from Jehan and started. " _What would I do without your smart mouth? Drawing me in, and you kicking me out?_ _You've got my head spinning, no kidding. I can't pin you down._ "

After Combeferre, it was Bahorel, Feuilly, Courfeyrac and Grantaire's turn. " _Because I've had the time of my life. No, I never felt this way before. Yes I swear it's the truth and I owe it all to you. 'Cause I've had the time of my life and I've searchrd through every open door. Till I found the truth and I owe it all to you._ " The two belted the refrain. In Courfeyrac's attempt to imitate the lifting figure of Dirty Dancing with Grantaire, he failed miserably.

"Are any ladies present here?" The moderator asked.

Grantaire raised Éponine's arm without warning. "Here!"

"Duet! Duet! Duet," screamed Courfeyrac, Grantaire, Feuilly, Bahorel, Combeferre and Jehan.

"Enjy, you weren't there, yet." Courfeyrac noted loudly.

"You're right ... Let's hear!" Feuilly said.

"Maybe after Éponine." Enjolras murmured.

"No, now! With Éponine." Bahorel protested.

Enjolras remained seated. Éponine stood up and went straight to the stage. She took the microphone in her hand and began singing spontaneously without music. " _It's quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now. Said I wouldn't call, but I've lost all control and I need you now. And I don't know how I can do withou, I just need you now."_

At the same time, she looked in Enjolras' direction, who immediately felt touched and laughed. "Come on," Grantaire whispered in his ear.

Enjolras then joined Éponine on the stage. Jehan was looking for music. "Give it all," said Courfeyrac to the two.

As Enjolras began to sing, Éponine was a little shocked at first. When he sang, he didn't sound as harsh as when he spoke. „ _My love, there's only you in my life; the only thing that's bright."_

„ _My first love, you're every breath that I take. You're every step I make."_ Éponine continued to sing, still fascinated by Enjolras's perfect voice.

„ _And I_ "

„ _I_ "

„ _I want to share_ "

„ _All my love with you._ " Éponine could already guess what this song would trigger with their friends.

„ _No one else will do_ " Enjolras sang softly.

„ _And your eyes_ "

„ _Your eyes, your eyes"_

„ _They tell me how much you care. Ooh yes, you will always be my endless love."_

Courfeyrac gave them two thumbs up. „ _Two hearts. Two hearts that beat as one. Our lives have just begun."_

Suddenly, Enjolras took Éponine's hand. " _Forever_ "

She startled when he turned her around herself and pulled her closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her. „ _I'll hold you close in my arms. I can't resist your charms."_ Éponine sang softly, while Enjolras nearly whispered in her ear.

With trifles like these, they decorated the rest of the song. In the end, they were so close together that their faces were only a few inches apart. " _My endless love_ "

Everyone clapped and Courfeyrac cried, "Get a room!"

Embarrassed touched, Enjolras and Éponine left the stage. As they sat down at the counter, Éponine took another sip from her brandy. Enjolras drank his coke. "That's not the same cola as I usually drink?"

Grantaire grinned and whispered in Éponine's ear. "What did he tell you, Éponine?" Enjolras asked.

"He has mixed vodka in your coke as we sang onstage," answered the girl.

"Are you crazy?!" Enjolras shouted. "I still have to drive, you sack face!"

"Then we'll stay here until you are exasperated."

"And how long will it take?"

"Not that long."

Sighing, Enjolras looked at the clock: 11 pm. "Did it really take so long?"

"Apparently ..." Éponine muttered.

"Alright. We'll stay here for an hour or so, but then it's over!"

Éponine and Grantaire nodded. "And by the way, Enjolras," said Éponine, "you do not sound as bad as you told me before."

"Oh, yes! I do!" Enjolras retorted.

"No way! You sing like an angel."

"Don't exaggerate."

"I don't exaggerate." Éponine pouted.

"You sing better." Enjolras continued.

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"You just sound like a little kid," laughed Éponine.

"No, I don't."

"There! There it was again!"

"The point is: you have a better voice than me."

Grantaire jumped up. " Opposition, your honor!"

"What?"

"Enj, Ep is right. You _can_ sing.

"Your version sounded better than the original!" Courfeyrac said. "And how you didn't just sing it - you _played_ it!"

"What do you mean?" Éponine asked.

"Well, you know what I mean! This action from Enjy and how you've always looked at each other ..."

"If you come up with ideas now, nothing is going on between us." Enjolras interrupted Courfeyrac.

"That's what they all say ..." Courfeyrac said.

"... and then they're pregnant!" Grantaire completed him.

"What are you guys saying?" Éponine asked, shaking her head.

At 1 am, they left the bar. Directly afterwards it was closed.

"How did it come that you live in the student residence? You are still pupils." Courfeyrac asked during the ride.

"I ... don't want to talk about that ..." Éponine said. She never talked to others about her past. Not even with her closest friends.

"It was the cheapest flat I found," answered Enjolras.

"But then you buy a Ferrari!" Grantaire replied.

Enjolras shot him an evil look. After he has driven Courfeyrac and Grantaire home, he and Éponine drove to the student residence.

"Grantaire can be really annoying sometimes." Enjolras complained.

"That's true." Éponine answered. "But it is just his kind. Basically he is a really nice person."

"Yes, but ..."

"I know him since I was nine years old."

"Has he changed a lot?"

"Who doesn't in the period of seven years? At least he was not an alcoholic. He only started with the alcohol when ..." Éponine stopped. "Sorry, but I promised him not to talk about that with anyone."

Enjolras nodded. " But otherwise was he the same as now?"

"At that time, he was often in a good mood but now ... he's still the Grantaire whom I've met as a child but somehow he's different." The girl explained.

When they were at home Enjolras parked his car and escorted Éponine to the door. "So to be honest, it was really fun. The singing." Éponine admitted.

"Yes, though I'm not very talented ..."

"Nonsense! You are stunning! I mean you were stunning ... I mean you sang stunning ... you are not stunning" Éponine stammered. "So that you don't understand something wrong ... you're admittedly stunning but not so that ... you know ..."

Enjolras nodded. "I understand." He laughed. "You were also _stunning_."

Éponine laughed. "I'm still a little bit drunk, y'know? Sorry for the inconveniences ..."

"No matter."

"Good night, Enjolras."

"Good night, 'Ponine."

Enjolras turned around and went to his apartment. "And thanks for driving us," whispered Éponine.

"You're welcome."

Éponine unlocked the door and disappeared in her flat.

 **Review?**


	5. Chapter 5

The light was off. Musichetta was sleeping. Éponine took off her clothes and slipped into a white shirt, which she stole during her last visit to Grantaire. She removed her makeup and the many bobby pins in her hair. When she noticed that it was already half past two, she went to bed. She had school and should be awake then.

"Éponine! Get up, we'll be late!" Éponine heard her friend calling.

Éponine murmured something unintelligible before she turned around in bed and asked Musichetta, "Already?"

"It's seven am! In an hour the lessons begin. We can't make it in time!"

"Yes, yes ... we'll get there on time ..."

Musichetta raised an eyebrow. "How?"

"Just let me do it." Éponine got up, picked up her key and made her way to the door.

"Where are you going?" Musichetta asked.

Éponine didn't answer and closed the door behind her. Musichetta shrugged and packed her bag.

Éponine rang at apartment 46. A tired looking Enjolras with tousled hair and only clothed in sweatpants, opened the door. At the sight of Éponine with eye bags and in Grantaire's shirt he smirked. "Morning" He muttered.

"Morning, Enjolras."

"Do you need something?"

"Er ... I overslept," stammered Éponine, "and if Chetta and I are walking, we'll be late and ..."

"I'll drive you."

"Thank you!" Éponine hugged him briefly. "Text me when you're ready."

"Okay."

Éponine hurried back to her apartment. "Enjolras will drive us." She announced to Musichetta.

"In _this_ outfit you went to him?

Éponine shrugged. "He was only wearing sweatpants."

"Really?" Musichetta asked, interested.

"Yes."

"Enjolras in sweatpants?" She repeated.

"So what?"

"Nothing."

"Get ready, he'll pick us up soon."

Éponine only ate a toast and drank a cup of cappuccino. Then she put on a light gray sweater, tube jeans, and black ballerinas. As if on cue Enjolras texted her. "Are you ready?"

"Yes. You?"

"Too"

The doorbell rang. Enjolras was now wearing black destroyed jeans, a white T-shirt, and a navy blue bomber jacket. His hair was still a bit wild, but not as extreme as before. "Can we go?"

Musichetta and Éponine nodded. Éponine ran towards Enjolras's car. "Eppy, we've still got time!" Musichetta called.

Éponine immediately got into the car. "Is that yours?" Musichetta asked Enjolras.

"Yes."

"Okay. I already thought she was getting in some car." She laughed. "I'll sit in the back!"

When Enjolras started the car, Éponine switched on the radio again. "How was your Valentine's Day?" Musichetta wanted to know.

"Quite well," answered Enjolras.

"And yours?" Éponine asked.

"Joly, Bossuet and I went to the cinema and afterwards we were at the café. But now to you!"

"What should have been?" Éponine tried to hush the experiences of the last evening.

"Something must have happened!"

"We sang, so what?" Enjolras said.

"You two? Together?"

Éponine nodded slowly.

"What did you sing?"

Enjolras and Éponine looked at each other. "'Endless Love' ... by Lionel Richie ..." Éponine cheeped.

"Self-chosen?"

"No ... Jehan." Enjolras answered. "And the boys decided that we have to go on stage together.

"Mhm ... And further?"

"Chetta!"

"What?"

"I know exactly what you're thinking!" Éponine said.

Musichetta smiled sheepishly. "What am I thinking?"

"I'll tell you my answer."

"There's nothing going on between us!" Enjolras and Éponine said at the same time.

"It'll come."

Enjolras rolled his eyes and Éponine stared her down. _If looks could kill._ At 7:50 am they arrived at school. Musichetta looked for her beloved, while Enjolras and Éponine went to the classroom. In the corridor the two met Grantaire. "Hello! I thought you'd never come!" He called. "Oh, it has gone wild last night ..." He remarked as he saw Enjolras's ruffled hair and Éponine's eye bags.

"Taire! How often do I have to explain it to you?"

Grantaire pouted. "I was only making fun."

"Well, you never know ..."

After school Grantaire asked, "Enj, can we go with you?"

"Never again!"

"I understand. You want a little privacy," joked Courfeyrac.

"Bye."

Enjolras, Éponine and Musichetta went home. Musichetta tried to squeeze more out of the two over the last evening. But they talked only about neutral topics. She was a bit disappointed, but she would certainly learn more from the others. In the dormitory, she immediately went to her apartment not to irritate Éponine when she "stalked" her friends. Perhaps she could at least listen to the two. Éponine and Enjolras stood in front of his flat. "Does it bother you as well when the others have their assumptions?" Éponine asked.

"Yes, but sometime they'll stop."

"Sometime ..."

"It's gonna happen."

"But you see it as I do, that nothing is going on between us, do you?" Éponine asked for safety's sake.

"Hm? Oh ... yes."

"Okay, bye!"

"Bye."

"And thanks for driving us."

"Somehow I have a Déjà-vu now. Didn't you say that last night? "Said Enjolras, confused.

"Maybe," said Éponine.

Éponine slept for hours to compensate for the loss of last night. In the evening she made a movie night with Musichetta. The TV was so loud, that Enjolras even complained by telephone. After the second film they watched, "The Ugly Truth", the two friends went to sleep.

 **I hope you liked this chapter! It may not be the best because I wrote a maths test today and I had to make a presentation (it was about musicals in general but I 'spoke too fast and it was too much information,' said my teacher, so I don't think I get an A).**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN:** **Here I am again! Thank you for your nice reviews, I love you!**

Enjolras came to Éponine the next day. "What did you do last night?"

"Watched TV."

"Oh really?"

"That was just the beginning." Éponine grinned.

"Can't this be quieter?"

"I don't know."

Enjolras looked annoyed at her. "Yes, okay. It may go ... Maybe."

"Éponine ..."

"If it bothers you, why don't you watch with us?" Éponine asked.

"On a weekend perhaps."

"Okay, this evening at 7 pm in our apartment."

"But Ép-"

"What? It's Friday. This is part of the weekend.

"Yes but ..."

"Grantaire will come too."

"O-okay"

From 6 pm Éponine and Musichetta prepared everything for the movie night. Half an hour later came Grantaire. "Hey, sweeties!"

"Hi, R!"

"Is your lover coming too?" Grantaire asked, diabolically grinning.

"Enjolras is _not_ my lover!"

"But you knew who I meant ..."

Éponine rolled her eyes. "Come in. And yes, Enjolras is coming."

"Ooh ..."

"Please try to pull yourself together!"

"I'll see what I can do."

"Grantaire!"

"Oh, and can I sleep at your place? I think it's going to be late and then I don't want to go home on my own. Besides, we can do a BFF-day tomorrow!"

"That's fine by me."

"Thank you! You're the best!"

"But we don't have a third bed."

"I can sleep in the bathtub again."

"If you like it there so much."

While Grantaire was looking for beer in the fridge, Musichetta quietly asked Éponine, "He should sleep in the bathtub?"

"He has proposed it himself. I would have offered him the couch."

After Enjolras came, the four friends voted which film they wanted to watch first. "How about 'P.S. I Love You'?" Éponine suggested.

"Or 'Titanic'!" Musichetta sighed.

"No, I always have to cry at this!" Grantaire replied.

"I don't care what we watch." Enjolras said.

"Still suggest something!" Éponine requested.

"Okay ... 'Monsieur Claude And His Daughters'?"

"What's that?" Grantaire asked.

"A French comedy." Enjolras rummaged a DVD from his jacket pocket. "Here."

They all gathered around Musichetta, holding the DVD in her hand. "This is good! We watch it!" She exclaimed.

Éponine pushed the disc into the DVD player and took a seat on the couch between Enjolras and Musichetta. Everyone had several laughters - Enjolras also laughed, which is a rare sight. In between, Musichetta sometimes sniffed. In the end the question arose again: What do we watch next?

"TITANIC!" Musichetta and Grantaire cried enthusiastically.

Enjolras nodded and searched the DVD. In the last half hour of the movie everyone was crying. Even Enjolras rolled a tear over the cheek. When he saw that Éponine was crying, he handed her a handkerchief that lay on the table. During the film Éponine must have slipped to Enjolras, because suddenly she found herself cuddled on his shoulder. When she wanted to go back to her former position, she decided to stay beside Enjolras. His arm, unlike her, was warm and comfortable. Eventually, they watched "P.S. I love you".

At the beginning of the movie Éponine cried, "I love Gerard Butler!"

Grantaire looked as if he was going to make a stupid comment, but Musichetta pressed her hand to his mouth in time. Without noticing it, Enjolras put his arm around Éponine. Grantaire drank his fourth bottle of beer and Musichetta ate popcorn. Shortly before the end, Éponine fell asleep in Enjolras's arms. Musichetta whispered in Grantaire's ear. They looked at the two until Musichetta took out her cell phone and shot a few photos inconspicuously. Enjolras didn't notice anything of that. After the film was out, he looked down at Éponine and saw that she was asleep. "'Ponine," he whispered.

"Let her sleep. She stayed awake late in the last few days," said Musichetta.

"Okay."

"But maybe you can get her to bed. The couch is too uncomfortable to sleep on."

Enjolras carefully lifted Éponine and carried her to her room. In the meantime, he looked at how pretty Éponine looked when she was sleeping. Slowly he put her on the bed without waking her up. Suddenly he felt a hand clinging to his shirt. "Enjolras?"

"Yes?"

"So thanks for coming tonight. That kind of coming." She said smirking.

"Isn't that a quote from the movie that you watched yesterday?"

Éponine nodded. "How did you know?"

"Well, the TV was loud enough," laughed Enjolras.

"Sorry. But seriously. Without you it wouldn't have been the same."

She looked around and rubbed her eyes. "Have I fallen asleep?"

"Yes."

"On the couch?"

"Yes."

"And you carried me?"

"Er ... yes."

Éponine smiled. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"Did I see right that you cried?"

"Unlikely."

"You can't deny it. Everyone cries at Titanic."

Enjolras shrugged. "Maybe."

"However. Good night, Enjolras!" Éponine said.

"Good night, 'Ponine!" He whispered before he leaned down and hugged her.

She was a little surprised, but it didn't really matter to her. The only thing that bothered her a little bit was that the hug was quite short. Enjolras turned the light off and closed the door behind him. Grantaire made his "bed" in the bathtub by placing two blankets and a pillow in the tub. After saying "good night" to everyone, he went back to his apartment.


	7. Chapter 7

After Enjolras left, Éponine lay in her bed, thinking. Enjolras's behavior was different tonight - even in the last days. Somehow she was nervous in his presence. Did this have something to do with the karaoke night? _No, it can't be! You're not over Marius yet._ But she still liked to fall asleep in Enjolras's arms and be carried to bed by him. A few weeks ago that would have been almost unthinkable. He was one of her friends, but that was something she wouldn't have thought he'd do. She also thought about this duet, which they sang two days ago. Why did it have to be _this_ song? "Endless Love"! But how Enjolras sang it ... It sounded as if he meant the text seriously. _He is just a very good actor._ But how can it be that he is still so ... different? _No matter,_ she thought, trying to fall asleep.

When she woke up, Grantaire was sitting next to her on the bed. "What was that last night?"

"What was what?"

"Don't you know it anymore?"

"What should I know?"

"Don't play naive! Tell me as much as you can remember."

"I fell asleep on the couch."

"... in Enjolras's arms."

"That simply happened, okay?"

"Simply happened ... go on."

"Then he carried me to bed."

"I knew it! You're together!"

"Just because he carried me to bed once, it doesn't mean that we're together!"

"Mhm ..."

"He just carried me to bed, not ... you know."

"It will come, believe me."

"Get out!"

"C'mon! That wasn't meant." Grantaire clung to Éponine. "What happened after he got you to bed?"

"We only talked briefly."

"But you fell asleep, didn't you?" Grantaire asked.

"Only then, but when he carried me, I noticed, and then I woke up. But I didn't let him know, otherwise I would have had to walk myself."

"So, do you like it to be carried by Enjolras?"

"No idea."

"Or do we ask: What do you like when you are borne by him?"

"He's so ... warm and comfortable." Éponine explained. "And besides, he has carried me so carefully because he did not want me to wake up."

"Do you love him?"

"How do you come up with such an idea?" Éponine said hesitantly.

"I just thought. I always see you when he's near you. Since you're lately no longer as chilled as usual."

"Please don't ask me something like this in the near future. I do not know what I feel." Éponine whimpered. She was close to tears, though there was no real reason, she thought.

"Éponine ... I'm sorry, I only wanted to help you." Grantaire excused.

"I know, but please let me have breakfast in peace and then we'll see."

"Okay."

Éponine took a bathrobe and left her room. "Did something happen?" Musichetta asked, worried.

"No, no. Don't worry." Éponine calmed her down.

"Grantaire?"

"I didn't want to! I only asked her something." Grantaire stammered.

After breakfast, the three started their BFF-day. Grantaire painted his friends' nails artfully. Musichetta had little hearts on her nails. He painted Éponine's fingernails black with white details. "Can I ask you now?" He asked.

Éponine sighed. "Very well."

"On a scale from 1 to 10 -" Musichetta began.

"Baymax!" Grantaire cried.

Musichetta slapped his neck. "- how much do you like him?"

"5 is good friend and 10 is ... you love him." Grantaire explained.

"What would you say?"

"Between 8 and 9." Musichetta answered.

"Hm ... 7?" Éponine said uncertain.

"So you like him very much?"

Éponine nodded slowly. "I don't know that myself, but I think so."

"Have you already kissed?" Grantaire wanted to know.

"No!"

"Do you want it?"

When Éponine opened her mouth, Musichetta asked, "Have you already embraced?"

"Yes."

Grantaire interrupted her. "Of course, they embraced! They're friends!"

"Actually, we just hugged briefly on each other's birthdays ..."

"Really?" Grantaire screamed.

"Not so loud! Enjolras can hear us."

"And have you hugged each other more often lately?" Musichetta continued.

"Yes."

"Are the hugs now different?"

"Somehow ..."

"When was the last time?"

"Tonight, after he took me to bed."

"Ooh ..." Grantaire called.

Éponine shook her head. "Not as you think. As you already know, Grantaire, we were talking and before he left, he bent down and hugged me. But somehow it was different than usual. Although it was only a brief moment, I felt something peculiar, "she said absentmindedly.

Musichetta thought about it. "I know what this is. That was the case with Joly and me at the beginning."

"You ... you think I'm in love with him?"

"Why not?"

"I don't know ... I don't think I'm over Marius yet."

"Give up, Ep. He has Cosette and he's happy with her. Now it's _your_ turn to be happy!" Grantaire encouraged her.

"Yes, but ..."

"Darling, Enjolras and you know each other for three years. I would be very surprised if nothing else happened between you." Musichetta said.

"Grantaire and Courfeyrac are friends for six years and aren't married, either!" Éponine protested. "Although they sometimes behave like an old couple ..."

Musichetta giggled. Grantaire looked hurt. "Do you think Enjolras feels the same as you?" He asked.

"No idea. I think rather not ... At least it doesn't seem so.

"We'll get a result." Grantaire promised.

"You love him, don't you?" Musichetta asked.

"That can be."

 **Now it's slowly getting started! I'm starting to write the next chapter. I hope I can update soon.**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Let's see what Enjolras is up to!**

Enjolras called Courfeyrac. "Courf, can I come to you?"

"Sure! What's the matter?"

"I'll tell you later."

Enjolras drove to Courfeyrac's house. (In fact, it was his parents' house, but he liked to call it 'his house'.) The front door was unlocked, so Enjolras could get in. "So, what's the matter?" Courfeyrac asked.

"You remember the karaoke night?"

"Of course! How could I forget that?" He replied as he leaned back with a glass of champagne in his hand.

Enjolras took the glass from his hand. "For that matter, I need you sober," he said.

"Listen, we're sorry! We just wanted you to have a little fun. Just because Éponine was so sad when Marius and Cosette told us about their Valentine's Day."

"It's not just about that. Éponine ... I heard her talking with Grantaire and Musichetta about me. "

"Spy!"

"Are you mad? I'm her neighbour!"

"Still. Have they made nasty remarks?"

"No, but ..." Enjolras fell silent. He took out his mobile phone and played an audio.

"You love him, don't you?" Musichetta's voice was heard.

"That can be." Éponine answered.

Courfeyrac sat in his armchair with mouth wide open. "No fake?"

"No fake." Enjolras confirmed.

"Does she have a crush on you?"

"I was hoping you could give me an answer.

"Counterquestion: Do _y_ _ou_ have a crush on her?"

"Do you promise me that you won't tell anyone?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I think yes."

"You have a problem."

"Why?"

"Is she over Marius yet?"

"Musichetta and Grantaire tried to encourage her to go on. But I don't know if it helped."

"Just ask her for a date!"

"Yes, of course." Enjolras snorted ironically.

"That attracts every girl!"

"'Ponine isn't one of the girls who say: 'Definitely! Let's go out on a date and get drunk until we end up having sex in the same night!'" Enjolras said.

"Hey, hey! There were only four girls in the past three months, where it worked."

"She's just not the type. Do you have any useful suggestions?"

"Let me think ... Take her out! It doesn't have to be a real date. Cinema or so is enough for the beginning."

"That just says the right one." Enjolras answered.

"Ask Jehan if my advices aren't good enough for you!" Courfeyrac replied indignantly.

"Are you surprised? I mean with Éponine and me."

"Not really."

"What?"

"Sooner or later it would have come anyway."

"How do you mean that?"

"Let me explain the whole thing in peace."

"Did you plan this?"

Courfeyrac grinned. "The whole thing went as follows: The boys and I have discussed the day before that we make you a little joy. Éponine mourns Marius and you urgently need someone to keep you company. Besides, you hardly do anything in your free time. So we planned that you should have fun together. Two is a party!"

"It's 'three is a party'."

"Whatever. At least, it was an advantage for us that Jehan works there anyway. And we also discussed the song selection before. But this song has been great for you, don't you think? What did you think of while you were singing? That came so real!"

"I don't know."

"Did you think of Éponine?"

"Of course, she was standing right in front of me."

"Okay, but when you started drawing her near you and putting your arms around her, everyone could really feel you two were in love with each other."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Enjolras tried to deny it.

"Really? I know it." Courfeyrac began to show his friend a video.

In the video Enjolras and Éponine could be seen singing "Endless Love". Now that Enjolras saw it himself, he knew what the others were talking about. It was really more than obvious. For some sequences, you might have thought that something exciting would happen. In the end their faces were very close together. If the audience had not applauded and Courfeyrac screamed, "Get a room!", they would have most likely kissed. When the video was over, Enjolras asked, "You filmed it?"

"No, that was Jehan. He let the bartender film it so that you wouldn't notice." His friend answered, "Do you know now what I'm talking about? "

Enjolras nodded. "That was really ... exciting."

"Exciting?" Courfeyrac laughed. "Just that you didn't make out on the stage!"

"If Marius and Cosette would've been there, they would have fucked on the stage."

"Next year you are the ones."

"Don't exaggerate!"

"We'll see."

"But how do I ask her if she wants to go to the cinema with me?

"As you can see, you're still a beginner. Just say, 'Hey, Ep! Do you have time this afternoon?'"

"And then?"

"Then you tell her that there's a really good movie in the cinema and you don't want to go to the cinema alone. Or just ask her the way you would ask us."

"But she is not ... you!"

"I also have a second variant ..."

"Do I want to know it?"

Courfeyrac grinned diabolically.

"Oh, no!" Enjolras lamented.

"Okay, then take the other."

"But don't you think that just going to the cinema is a little boring?"

"Then take her to the restaurant."

"How about when we go to the cinema and then to the café?"

"You can do it like that. It's your date."

"Thanks for your help!" Enjolras said.

"Was that ironic?"

"Not this time."

"You're welcome." Courfeyrac smirked.

"I'll call you if I need a few more tips."

"Okay."

"When should I ask her?"

"If you want to get it behind you, you should ask her as soon as possible."

Enjolras nodded and poured himself a glass of champagne. "I need that now."

"And you always tell us that you don't drink ..." Courfeyrac muttered.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Now our dear Éponine will go shopping!**

Éponine and Grantaire sat on the sofa. Musichetta was speaking to Éponine. "If you want to impress guys, you should always do your best in terms of styling. Boys are on it. Apart from that, it is always good to be pretty. Imagine, you are invited somewhere and you have no suitable clothes. A _disaster_

Éponine raised an eyebrow and stared at her friend. Next to her sat on the armrest Grantaire with the same face expression. "I'm also a boy, aren't I?" He asked.

"Sure! Why not?"

"I do not care what a girl looks like. Otherwise, I wouldn't be friends with Éponine."

Éponine pushed him from the armrest. "But now honestly: accordig to me you can dress as you like. No boy wants a girl who wears Chanel but is a total bitch."

"Oh! 'Ponine, we have to go shopping!' Musichetta shrieked.

"And I thought you'd forgotten ..." Éponine murmured.

"But we have to buy new things for you! Enjolras will like that, believe me. "

"Can I accompany you?" Grantaire asked.

Éponine nodded. "Please!"

The three friends walked through the shopping streets of Paris. Musichetta always stopped at the store windows of Chanel, Gucci, Givenchy and Louis Vitton. When they arrived at a Dolce and Gabbana shop, Éponine also stopped. "Are we going in?" Musichetta asked.

In the store Éponine whispered, "That's all too expensive!"

Grantaire gave her a short, pink blouse with pineapple print. "This _only_ costs 345 ."

"' _Only'_ ' is good."

"If we put our money together, we can pay it," said Grantaire.

"I've got 250 ." Musichetta told.

"I have 100 ," replied Éponine.

"Me too."

Musichetta looked at the eyewear collection. "They're beautiful, but a bit too expensive," she sighed.

Grantaire and Éponine went to the cash desk. The saleswoman grinned at the two sympathetically and was a bit surprised that they could pay the blouse. When they left the shop, Grantaire noticed: "Now we have 105 . I do not think we can afford more designers. "

"No problem! Then we just buy something from HM, "said Éponine. "One designer blouse is enough."

As they made their way to the next shop Éponine looked at her Dolce and Gabbana bag, which was printed with a large photo of models in dresses of the new collection. After trying on several dresses and skirts, she took a black, knee-length lace dress in the dressing-room at Musichetta's request. "That's sexy!" Musichetta shouted. "Isn't it Taire?"

Grantaire nodded. "Sorry I'm gawking at you so, but ... you look really hot!"

Éponine laughed. "But it's so little fabric!"

"Little fabric pleases the guys!"

"But Enjolras?"

"Guaranteed." Grantaire promised her.

"But I don't know if he would like it as much as you or Courfeyrac."

"I think so. He had never had a girlfriend and therefore - "

"Please what?" Éponine interrupted him.

"You won't believe it, but Apollo has never had a girlfriend and has never been in love."

"I do not understand that. He's so attractive! Other guys who don't look quite as good as him already had at least five girlfriends. "

"Courfeyrac had more." Musichetta grinned.

"I know, but I must admit that he looks good."

"Oh, you rebuffed Enj," commented Grantaire.

Éponine sulked. "No, I haven't! Enjolras is better. "

"Right. You made a good catch. I think Enjolras will not leave you as soon as Courfeyrac," said Grantaire.

"I hope so too."

Éponine bought the lace dress, a pink plate skirt, black kitten heels, and gold earrings. "Now you're ready for Enjolras!" Said Musichetta.


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Hey again! And thank you again for your reviews! I sat until late at night to write and update this, so I hope you appreciate my work**.

Musichetta woke her best friend at 6 o'clock. An hour earlier than usual. Once Éponine got up, she had to put on her new blouse, one of her black jeans and the kitten heels, which she bought at her shopping trip. And once again she underwent a treatment of Musichetta. Pink lipstick, rouge, pink nail polish and rosy eyeshadow. "Perfect!" Musichetta exclaimed.

In the apartment next door, Enjolras's cell phone rang, half an hour later. _"G_ _ood morning, Baltimore! Every day's like an open door; every night is a fantasy; every sound's like a symphony!_ " Courfeyrac shrieked into the phone.

"What?"

"Today is Monday! Time to ask Éponine out!"

Enjolras remembered that he had promised Courfeyrac to invite Éponine to the cinema. "Are you awake yet?" Courfeyrac asked.

"Otherwise, I wouldn't talk to you now," murmured Enjolras.

"Hm ... Right again. But are you still lying in bed?"

"Yes."

"You know how to _seduce_ Éponine?"

Enjolras rolled his eyes. "No, I don't know how to _seduce_ her. I only know how to invite her to the cinema."

"On Saturdays, our meetings take place," said Courfeyrac, "until you get it."

"See you at school." Enjolras muttered and hung up.

Musichetta and Éponine left the house earlier than usual. They usually met Enjolras in the corridor when they went to school, but Éponine said she was 'not ready for a conversation with him so early in the morning'. "Is everything okay?" Musichetta asked.

Éponine hesitated. "Maybe I shouldn't talk about it with him now, right?"

"Let him come to you first."

Éponine heard a familiar voice. "Hey, Musichetta! Where's Éponine?" It was Enjolras.

Musichetta pointed to the girl next to her. When Enjolras went to her friend, she left the two alone. "You look good," he said.

"Thank you! You too."

"I wear the same as always."

"I know. You always look good."

Enjolras blushed and looked away. Éponine was thinking about a way to break the silence when Enjolras cleared his throat. "Do you have time today?"

 _Is he trying to ask me for a date?_ From the corner of her eye she saw Musichetta nod. "Yes."

"There's just a new movie in the cinema and I do not want to go alone. It's always unpleasant to me when everyone has someone with them and I don't -"

"Fifty Shades of Grey?" Éponine laughed.

"If you want."

"But only if you agree."

"Sure."

"Or what would you have suggested?"

"Nothing."

"When are the showing times?" Éponine asked.

Enjolras took out his mobile. "Today only in the forenoon and at 7:50 pm."

"A bit late, but it's okay."

"Shall I pick you up again in the evening?"

"If you can."

"Of course I can." Enjolras answered. "So I'll pick you up at 7 pm and then we'll drive to Le Grand Rex."

"Are you coming too early again?"

"I'll try to be punctual."

Enjolras and Éponine sought their classroom. "You were shopping, weren't you?" He asked after a while.

"Musichetta forced me."

"I suppose the blouse was expensive?"

"Oh yes, 345 euros!"

"Did she take you to a boutique?"

"Dolce and Gabbana."

"It looks good on you," repeated Enjolras, "is there a special reason why you bought new clothes?"

Éponine didn't know what to say to him. She could not tell him that she (or rather Musichetta) wanted to impress him. "Um ... Musichetta said that ... I need new clothes, because mine don't look good enough."

"I think they're okay."

"Me too, but she said that ... guys love it when girls dress up smartly ..."

"So you just went shopping to impress guys?" Enjolras frowned. He wondered if he was just a good friend for Éponine. _Apparently_.

"I didn't, but she was right ..." She smirked. "You like it, right?"

"Yes, but that's just my opinion. I don't know how the others like it ..."

"Grantaire liked it too."

"He already saw it?"

"Of course. He was there. We also bought something else. He said that you will like it." _Did I just say that?_

"And what's that?"

"Um ... a black lace dress."

"Oh" Enjolras was surprised that Éponine had bought something like this. He was curious as to what it looked like.

"'A must-have in the wardrobe of a woman'" Éponine quoted Musichetta. "I hope it really looks good."

"I'm sure."

During the break, Courfeyrac asked Enjolras, "Which movie did you choose?"

"Fifty Shades of Grey."

"Seriously?" He laughed hysterically. "You are the hit!"

"At least we only watch it. You're probably real-life Christian Grey ..."

"Dude, what do you all think of me?!"

"Can we stick to the subject?"

"Okay. Even if it is too seductive to make out in the cinema, please don't let it degenerate into a reflection of the film."

"Courf! We're not even together yet! And why should we have sex in the cinema?!

"That was just an advice."

"Not really helpful ..." Enjolras muttered.

"Oh, and look what I have here!"

Courfeyrac held out his mobile phone to his best friend and showed him a few photos. "What the -!" There were quite a few pictures in which Enjolras and Éponine sat on the couch. Éponine was cuddling with Enjolras and slept. He had put his arm around her and played with her hair. When Enjolras remembered the evening, he had to smile a bit, but he recognized the seriousness of the situation. "W-Who took these pictures?" He asked confused.

"Chetta," answered Courfeyrac, "Grantaire sent them to us."

"And why do I find out about it last of all?"

"Ep doesn't know yet, either."

"Maybe that's better." Enjolras sighed.

"By the way, I sent you the video of you two turtledoves."

A few meters away, Grantaire was talking with his two friends. Suddenly Éponine's cell phone vibrated. A message from Grantaire. It was _the picture_. "Um ... what is that?"

Grantaire looked puzzled. "What is what?"

"This here."

Grantaire realized that he sent it to Éponine instead of Feuilly. "Shit! Sorry, I wanted to sent it to Feuilly!"

"And that is better?"

Musichetta put her hand on Éponine's shoulder. "'Ponine, we're sorry. Grantaire is not to blame. I took the picture."

"Why?"

"We just found it so sweet as Enjolras put his arm around you and you fell asleep. And how he played with your hair!"

Éponine panicked. "Do they all know?"

Her friends didn't answer. "I suppose that's a yes ..." She whispered. "Has Enjolras already seen it?"

"Yes."

Startled, she turned around. Behind her stood Enjolras. "Can I talk to Éponine for a moment? Alone?"

Musichetta nodded. Enjolras took Éponine into the auditorium, which normally wasn't very busy at that time. "Listen, Éponine. Let me explain it."

"Did you know about it?"

"I have just found out about it myself. Courfeyrac showed it to me. And by the way, Jehan let the barkeeper film our performance last week.

"He filmed it? Did you see the video?

"Yes."

"But they cannot really use it against us."

"Er ... no. He sent it to me. Do you want to see it?"

Éponine shrugged. Enjolras showed her the video. At some scenes Éponine smiled as she remembered. "Did we really do that?" She asked, shocked.

"Apparently."

"I can't remember the fact that we sang it this way, or rather _enacted_ it."

"Neither do I! That's why I was so surprised when I saw it."

"To get back to the picture again" Éponine laughed briefly. "You didn't tell me when you brought me to bed."

"I did this completely unconsciously! I didn't notice it. "

"I didn't plan to fall asleep on the sofa. And I'm sorry you had to carry me. You shouldn't have done that. "

"Musichetta said the couch is too uncomfortable."

"Hopefully this will not be a habit that I always fall asleep when we watch movies. Imagine, I fall asleep in the cinema!"

"I'd take you home anyway."

"But I don't think Fifty Shades of Grey is so boring that I fall asleep."

"I don't think so."

"I hope the movie is as good as the book."

"You read the book?" Enjolras asked amazed.

"Yes. It's all ... er ... _very detailed_. But Jamie Dornan looks better than Christian in the book."

"How are your siblings?" Enjolras asked, changing the subject.

"Gavroche and Azelma are on holiday with a friend in Italy for a month."

"And how is it there?"

"Beautiful! 'Zelma sent me photos of Rome and Milan. They are in Rome for a week, in Milan, in Verona and in Venice. Unfortunately I have school and couldn't go with them. But maybe it will work in the next holidays." Éponine sighed. "Have you ever been to Italy?"

"Once when I was 6 years old, but I want to go back."

"Will you take me with you?" Éponine looked at him pleadingly.

Enjolras smiled. "Why not?"

Éponine hugged him tightly. "I have never been outside of France."

"Then it's about time!" Enjolras stood up and held out his hand to Éponine. "Lessons begin in two minutes. Let's go!"

Éponine pulled Enjolras by the hand behind her. They ran through the corridors until they arrived at the classroom in time for the lesson. "That was close!" Éponine breathed.

"Mademoiselle Thénardier, Monsieur Enjolras, you are too late!" The French teacher Madame Bonnet commented.

Enjolras looked at the clock. "No. It's just 9:44 and the lesson starts in a minute."

"Anyway. Sit down."

Éponine and Enjolras went to their seats. "We have stopped at the literature," announced Madame Bonnet. "Now it is time for you to write your own poem."

"Which topic?" Marius asked excitedly. Writing poems for Cosette was his hobby.

"You can choose, but the text should be meaningful."

"Do we have to write it now?" Combeferre wanted to know.

"You have three days. On Thursday, you can present them in front of the class. "

"I can't do anything like that." Éponine murmured.

"Then we're already two," said Enjolras.

Marius told Courfeyrac about his ideas for the poem. Then he raised his hand. "Madame Bonnet, I will write a poem that is exactly tuned to my girlfriend!"

"Perfect! Then you can recite it on Thursday. "

Marius nodded, grinning dumbly. Enjolras leaned over to Éponine. "Ass-kisser," he whispered.

Éponine had to laugh aloud. "What is so funny, Mademoiselle?" The teacher asked.

"Nothing. I just had to think about something funny. "

"Hm"

When the lesson was over, they all complained that they had to write a poem. "What do we need it for?" Bahorel grumbled.

"What do you all have against it?" Jehan asked. "I wish we could do this more often."

Grantaire grinned. "Jehan, my dear. Would you be so kind to help us with it? "

"But she'll notice if all poems are the same."

"No matter."

Enjolras shook his head in amusement. Everyone always tried to copy the homework from someone else. "I'll try to write it myself."

"I'm curious how your poem will be," Éponine said.

"Me too."


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Here I am again! I have good news for you! Now** **I'm writing my chapters originally in English, so I don't have to translate everything. The reason is: I feel like there aren't any German Enjonine shippers (or only one or two who don't always review), so I decided to only publish my stories on FFN from now on.**

On their way home, Musichetta asked: "Do you already have an idea for your poem?"

Éponine shook her head. "Not at all."

"I think I'll just copy a few passages of songs. Madame Bonnet won't know the songs," Musichetta said. "What did you and Enjolras talk about this morning?"

"He invited me to the cinema." Éponine answered.

"Which movie?"

Éponine blushed. "50 Shades Darker..."

"Oh, daring choice! Why _this_ movie?! Who suggested it?

"I just thought loud, okay? He agreed, but I really do not care which movie we see, as long as Enjolras is with me."

"I've always told you that your loud thinking will be your doom." Musichetta commented. "I don't know if that's a typical movie for a cinema date..."

Éponine shrugged. "Hopefully it will not be our only date."

"I keep my fingers crossed for you!"

Enjolras, meanwhile, worried about it alone. He stayed at school for a while, because he had to talk to a teacher anyway. After that was settled, he sneaked through the school and thought about his date.

 _Will everything go well tonight? Hopefully nothing awkward will happen. Remember: don't go like a bull on a gate! Probably, I am just an ordinary friend for her anyway. I don't have a clear confirmation that she loves me. Perhaps I should rather give up... She will never be completely over Marius._

When he was sitting in his car, he scrolled through photos of him and Éponine on his mobile phone. _But she wasn't really angry at me because of the photos and the video. Why is she suddenly acting so different? Why does she embrace me more often and longer than usual? What does all this mean?_

In his flat, he searched through his wardrobe and decided for a red hoodie, which he pulled over his shirt. Then he went to the bathroom and combed his unruly curls (although it didn't help much, because later they would look wild again). _Now I am quite ready._

Suddenly his phone rang. "Hey, Enjolras!"

It was Éponine.

"I just thought, perhaps we should watch another movie tonight. You didn't seem very delighted and I believe that isn't the best movie for a date."

"Okay, which movie would you like to see?"

"Now _you_ tell me what you want to watch."

"How about 'Rings'?"

"I haven't heard of it. What's that?"

"I don't know if you'll like it... It's a horror movie."

"Oh, no problem. I watch every kind of movies."

"Good. The time is the same."

"See you later, alligator!"

"See you."

Next door, Grantaire paid a visit to his friends. He and Musichetta gave Éponine a few last-minute tips. "Well... Cinema is not really the hit for the first date," said Grantaire. "But try to talk before or after the movie."

"What should we talk about?" Éponine asked. "We already know each other."

"No idea. I haven't had any dates yet," said Grantaire.

"But most importantly, stay calm. I know everyone is always nervous before dates, but it gets better with time." Musichetta advised her. "And one of you must tell the other that he wants a second date. Let him call you. Then you know if he's interested in you. "

"I hope there will be a second date," said Éponine in a trembling voice. "What if something unpleasant happens? And I don't know yet if he loves me too."

"You'll notice it."

"You should change your clothes for the cinema. The seats are often dirty." Grantaire murmured.

"Enjoy your date! That will be your first chance to impress him."

"Which movie are you going to see?" Grantaire asked.

"50 Shades," answered Musichetta.

"Really?!" Grantaire shrieked.

"No, I called him half an hour ago. We'll watch a horror movie. 'Rings' or what the title was..." Éponine corrected her.

Musichetta frowned. "Are you sure if that's a much better choice?"

"Enjolras chose it. But it'll be okay."

"Well, if you say that..."

"When is he going to pick you up?" Musichetta asked.

"At 7 pm, but I think he's coming too soon again."

Grantaire looked at the clock. 6:50 pm. "Does it matter to you when we're away for a short time? We have something to discuss. In the meantime, you can change. "

„O-okay"

In the hallway, they encountered Enjolras who was on his way to Éponine. "Hello, Enj!"

"Hi, I have to pick up Éponine, so if I may..."

"Not so fast! We have something to discuss with you." Grantaire said.

"Do you promise us that you won't break Éponine's heart?" Musichetta asked.

"Why should I break her heart?"

"You boys are all the same."

"But I'm not." Enjolras protested.

"That's what they all say." Grantaire shook his head.

"I know your ploy. First you make the girl hopes, then you try to get her into your bed and then you drop her."

"I swear I'm not like that."

"Prove it!"

"Listen, I really love her and I promise you both that I will not treat her like the guys you spoke of, Musichetta."

Musichetta looked at him sceptically. "But if you don't keep your promise..."

"I'll keep it, believe me."

"We'll see. Have fun, you two!"

They cleared the way to the door and let him in the apartment. "There you are," exclaimed Éponine. "You're too late."

"It's five to seven."

"You're too late for your circumstances." Éponine walked towards the door. "Can we go?"

She tried to hide her nervousness, but didn't succeed always. Otherwise she could relax with Enjolras; but now she became more nervous in his presence. _Stay calm, Éponine._

At the entrance of the cinema, Enjolras said, "I pay."

"You don't have to. I also have a little money." Éponine protested.

"I invited you, so I pay."

Éponine clinged on his arm. "Enjolras, you're a gentleman!"

Éponine was at first overwhelmed by the ostentatious cinema hall. _That is why it's such a popular cinema..._

"I hope you won't die a shock because of the movie!" Enjolras worried.

"I'm hard to scare."

Enjolras smirked. "Well then..."

The two sat in a double seat. Éponine has planned this so that she could pursue her old habit while watching movies with Enjolras.

At the beginning of the movie, Éponine was confident that she won't be scared of it. But as the movie went on, she began to hide her face in Enjolras's shoulder. "Enjolras?" She looked up to him.

"What is it?" He asked softly.

Before she could answer, there was a jump scare which really shocked Éponine. "W-What was that?" She breathed, burying her face in his shoulder.

Enjolras rubbed her back. "Everything is okay, 'Ponine. I'm here."

Then he kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly. Éponine felt more secure now. _Wait, did he just give me a kiss? Let's see how it evolves ... No, don't make yourself hopes! You already know this from Marius._

And in the end they found themselves in the same position as then: Éponine was cuddled on Enjolras's shoulder; Enjolras has put his arm around her again. But this time she did not fall asleep. She looked very scared.

"Let's go home, 'Ponine." Enjolras whispered. "It's just a movie. This video in it doesn't actually exist. It is just a story the directors made up."

"I'm such a cry baby." Éponine said.

"No, that's completely normal."

"But you were not afraid!"

"Yes, I was a bit afraid. But I watch those movies more often and I'm used to it," answered Enjolras. "Besides, we boys can't show our emotions, or else we're called a wimp."

"No matter what you do, you'll never be a wimp," said Éponine.

"In your eyes perhaps..."

She stopped in front of the cinema. Enjolras couldn't see her facial expression in the dark. "The evening air is quite cold, don't you think?" Éponine murmured.

Of course, she was cold - after all, she was wearing a top. Enjolras took off his hoodie and handed it to her. "You can pull it over."

"Really?" Éponine frowned. "You're only wearing a T-shirt either."

"There are worse things."

Éponine hesitantly accepted the hoodie. "Thank you." She stood on tiptoes and gave Enjolras a peck on the cheek. Enjolras was surprised, but did not shrink back. He didn't want to ruin the moment.

"I like to go out at night," Éponine said after a few minutes. She sounded melancholic. "When Grantaire and I are in a really bad mood, we go through all the pubs in the city and get drunk until we fall asleep at the counter and we can't remember anything the next day."

Enjolras looked at her in shock. "Éponine" He took her hand. "Are you serious?"

"Sure."

"Are you aware of what might happen to you? Ever heard of 'coma'?" His piercing blue eyes were fixed on her.

Tears came into Éponine's eyes. "Obviously you've never been so desperate!" She barked.

She let go of his hand, but Enjolras replied, "Yes, I was. And more specifically, I am still. "

Éponine was confused. "How do you mean that?"

 _Should I_ _tell her? Surely she was so desperate because of Marius. Now I can_ _'t tell her that I'm in love with her._ He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "No matter."

She noticed how sad he looked and put her hand on his cheek. "You can tell me everything."

"I know." But Enjolras didn't want to tell her yet. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

Éponine knew exactly that he wasn't doing well, but she did not contradict him. _Perhaps it's something private and he doesn't want to talk about it._

In the car she leaned against the window. "Is everything okay?" Enjolras asked.

"Yea, I'm just tired."

"No wonder. It's already quarter to ten."

When he stopped in the parking lot, Éponine was asleep. "'Ponine, wake up. We are there."

"Already?"

"You can sleep in your bed in a few minutes, but just go in with me."

Well, her apartment was on the fourth floor. Éponine dragged herself up the stairs with her last strength. "Good night, 'Jolras." She whispered.

"Good night, 'Ponine. Sleep well. And take care of yourself. I'm worried about you."

Éponine looked up. "You ... are worried about me?"

"Of course. I don't want something to happen to you in any way."

Éponine almost cried and embraced him. "You are the first one to tell me this. But if I'm really desperate, I will still go out for a drink with Grantaire."

Enjolras raised her head so she looked at him. "But please don't drink too much. The last place I want to see you in is the hospital."

Éponine nodded. He cupped her face and brought it closer to his, both ready to kiss the other. Suddenly, an apartment door opened and the two moved back. There was a moment of silence until Enjolras cleared his throat. "Bonne nuit, 'Ponine."

"Bonne nuit."


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: I'M BAAAAACK! Sorry** **for the _REALLY_ late update.** **I had lots of rehearsals because of opening night of my school's play. H** **owever, I'm within the living again. I dedicate this chapter to PJOKCHG and OMG-fangirl**. **Thank you two for always reviewing and supporting me** **(and of course all the other** **s** **who read my fic)**.

After Éponine disappeared in her apartment, she slid down the door. Although it was quite late, she wasn't really tired anymore. _Why did I try to kiss him? I knew I was going to screw it up! I don't want to know how he'd act tomorrow._ Then she realized they didn't have to go to school the next day because of a teachers' meeting. Éponine was temporarily relieved.

At night, her phone rang. Enjolras. She didn't want to talk to him but she wanted to know why he would call her at 2 am. "Hello?" She murmured.

"Er... Hello, 'Ponine."

"What's the matter?"

"I just wanted to know if you would like to go out with me again."

"Now?" She asked astonished.

"No, I mean... in a few days or so."

"Yea, why not?" Éponine moaned tiredly. "Oh, and... what about your sweater? Should I give it back to you tomorrow?"

"I don't care. I have lots of them," he answered. "You can keep it."

"O-okay, thanks!"

"Good night."

She nodded, though she knew he couldn't see it.

* * *

The next morning, Éponine urgently wrote Grantaire a message if she may come over to him for a while. The answer was yes.

She was picked up by Grantaire and his motorbike. Musichetta was sleeping at Joly's, so she wouldn't miss her roommate. When the two friends arrived at his flat on the third floor of a house which looked like a hotel, Éponine asked, "Did you move again?"

"Yes! It's great, isn't it?"

Éponine inspected the flat. "Indeed."

Grantaire's apartment was pretty. The walls were creamy white, the floor was light brown. He smiled and took his friend to the window. "From here you can see the Eiffel Tower!"

Éponine's mouth fell open. "How can you pay rent for this? I mean, it isn't cheap to live here, right?"

"No, it isn't." Grantaire walked over to an easel and showed Éponine a new painting. "I've been working on this since yesterday. I'm trying to make it perfect," he explained. "I have already sold three of my older paintings."

It was an abstract painting. A little bit of red, a little bit of green, and a little bit of blue. "That's what the people currently want to buy. Most of them are ready to pay thousands for something like this."

"So you pay rent by selling paintings?" Éponine asked.

"Yes. But I also have other mini-jobs like working in a disco as a DJ or so. It almost changes every day."

"Where are you going to work today?"

"Tonight I'm gonna work at a gas store. I wonder how long they'll keep me."

There was a pause until Éponine suddenly asked, "How long does a good painting take?"

"Depends on the type of it. If it is an abstract painting, it doesn't take very long. I hope to finish mine tomorrow," Grantaire answered. "If it's a portrait or another elaborate painting, it can even take years."

Éponine nodded. "But enough of that," said Grantaire. "Why did you come?"

The girl lay down on the bed and let out a frustated sigh. "I don't know what to do."

"What to do with what?"

"Enjolras. We almost kissed last night."

"Why did you only _almost_ kiss?"

"That's not the point... I don't even know if he loves me."

"Love is a strong word. Wait a few days. He'll show it sooner or later." Grantaire tossed Éponine a can of beer.

"Maybe you're right..." She murmured. "How do you handle those things?"

"Me?" He asked, shocked. "I never really had this problem."

"You never had a girlfriend?"

"Nah, only two or three one-night stands." Grantaire answered. "But the last one was three years ago, I think." He sat down beside her and grinned at her. " _Look with your heart, and not with your eyes_ " he began to sing.

Éponine laughed. "That's so silly!"

Her friend pouted. " _T_ _he heart understands. The heart never lies._ " He stopped. "But it's true. Follow your instincts!"

* * *

After two hours, they found themselves sitting on the windowsill with one leg hanging out of the window, facing each other. Both of them were drunk. 'For every problem there is an appropriate liquor' as Grantaire often liked to say. They discussed Éponine's friend zone problems and drank vodka. "Enjolras asked me out again," Éponine said.

"Wait... What? Why are you so upset then? You've gotten a second date!"

"Yes, but..." She looked down to watch the people passing by. She couldn't believe her eyes - Enjolras with another girl! "What's wrong?" Grantaire asked.

She pointed down to Enjolras kissing the cheek of a blonde girl who was a little shorter than Éponine. He looked at her the way someone would look at his girlfriend. Then, Éponine broke down crying in Grantaire's chest. "I'm so sorry, 'Ponine! I - I don't know what to say..."

Éponine wiped away her tears and ran towards the alcohol cabinet and drank a bottle of whiskey in one go. Suddenly, everything began turning. "What are you doing?!" was the last thing she heard before she collapsed.


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: Hey again! I hope I wasn't too evil in the end of the last chapter. It gets better, don't worry.** **I am just sitting at school and writing this, so it can be that it's not as good as the other chapters. By the way, I'm also in the process of writing an Anastasia fanfic if anyone of you is interested :)**

Everything was blurry when Éponine slowly opened her eyes. She recognized a white ceiling which seemed to be a hospital room. "Éponine?" She heard a familiar voice. "Éponine, are you okay?" The voice became more concerned and she knew that the thing that happened to her must have been really bad.

Beside her sat Enjolras, looking frightened. "W-What happened?" The girl questioned.

Instead of an answer, he embraced her. "I'm so glad you're here again!" Enjolras breathed. After he let go of her, he said, "Grantaire called the emergency doctor. I was nearby when it happened and now you are in hospital." Éponine began to remember.

"How long have I been here?"

"It has been about six hours since you dehydrated."

The girl stared at the white wall in front of her. "Who is she?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean! Why didn't you tell me you have a girlfriend?" Her voice became angrier.

"Wait, what? Girlfriend? She's my sister Inès! She visited me here in Paris because she hasn't seen me in a while."

Éponine fell silent. "Oh... so she's your sister..." She felt bad for being so rude. "I'm sorry! I didn't even know you have a sister."

"It's alright."

The two didn't talk much on their way home, but when they arrived, he asked, "Do you want to stay alone in your apartment? 'Chetta said she probably won't be back until tomorrow morning."

"I'll be okay," Éponine said as she and Enjolras entered the flat. "Uhh, 'Ponine? We have to talk." Enjolras closed the door.

Éponine knew he wouldn't have good news and froze. The golden-haired boy grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her around so she faced him. "Why did you do this?"

She didn't answer, because she didn't know what to tell him. "Why?" He repeated. "I thought I told you to take care of yourself! I told you that I don't want you to see in hospital because of this. And what happened? You may have never woken up! Do you know what that means?"

The brunette could see a tear rolling down his cheek. "I don't know what to say... I thought I made it clear to you!" He shook his head. "Now tell me! Why do you have to drink everytime you have a problem?"

Éponine, who could free herself from his grip turned away and murmured, " _You_ are the problem..."

"Why am _I_ the problem?"

"Why am I doing this, do you think?" Éponine snapped.

He thought about that statement. "Do you have lovesickness again?"

She nodded. "Someone new?" Enjolras walked over to the bed Éponine sat on.

"Do I know him well?"

"Yes."

"Is it because of our date?" She nodded again.

 _Did he just call it a date?_ He took her small hand in his. "Listen, I'm truly sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm just worried about you. Do you know that feeling when you want to protect the ones you love and you won't forgive yourself when something bad happens to them?"

Éponine looked up. "So... I matter to you?"

"Of course you matter to me!" Enjolras hugged her. "'Ponine, what's the problem with us?"

 _I guess it's time to tell him._ "I - I was afraid to tell you."

"You know you can tell me everything!"

"I didn't want to risk our friendship. I was afraid that if I told you, you wouldn't want to talk to me anymore. Our friendship wouldn't be the same!"

"If I wouldn't be interested in a relationship with you, I would simply say it."

"So what is your answer?" Éponine questioned. Enjolras looked into her eyes and asked, "Can I kiss you?"

Éponine didn't expect this question. Montparnasse was completely different - in a bad way. He never asked her anything. He just did it. "If you really want to."

Enjolras affectionately captured her lips with his before finally whispering, "I love you 'Ponine." The girl was a little surprised by his sudden action. She would have never thought he'd answer in this way. "I love you, too." Éponine pulled him into another passionate kiss. When their lips seperated, Enjolras breathed, "I'm so sorry that you've done this because of me. You should have told me sooner! Then it wouldn't have been so problematic."

"I promise I won't do it again."

"I hope so. I don't want to lose you." After sitting close to each other for a while, Enjolras looked at the clock. "It's late. We should go to bed." He stood up to leave her room. "Good night, 'Ponine. And if you need anything I'm always there."

Éponine followed him to the door and stood on her tiptoes to give him a goodnight kiss. "I don't want to lose you either. Bonne nuit, mon amour."

Now, she felt much safer, knowing there is someone who loves her. But she wasn't sure how long it would last...


End file.
